1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a process of decontaminating parts of nuclear power plants which are contaminated with radioactive material, wherein surface layers are removed from said parts.
2. Description of the Prior Art
All parts of a nuclear power plant or of other plants for nuclear technology which have been contacted by radioactive materials must be decontaminated after the parts have been removed from the plant and before they can be dumped or can be reused, e.g., as scrap. Otherwise all such parts are to be disposed of in final dumps for radioactive wastes but that practice should be avoided owing to the high costs involved. At the present time the disposal of a 100-liter barrel which contains radioactive wastes costs about DM 5000. For this reason the quantity of radioactive wastes to be disposed of must be minimized.
It is known that plant parts which are contaminated with radioactive materials and have been removed from the plant can be cleaned with chemicals and water. But that process is expensive because the water which contains admixed chemicals and the solids which are formed must be entirely disposed of. Besides, the decontamination with the aid of chemicals and water cannot be effected on the power plant site but must be effected in factorylike plants, to which the parts which are to be disposed of and to be contaminated must be transported under safe conditions so that high costs for road transportation are added to the expensive decontamination process.
It is also known that parts which are contaminated with radioactive materials can be mechanically cleaned, e.g., by abrasion with grinding discs or the like. That process involves high labor costs and the persons who carry out said process are exposed to radioactivity.